A WITNESS at an inquest described seeing a police car run over a man who later died in police custody.

Michael Powell died six years ago in a prison cell at Thornhill Road Police Station after being arrested for smashing windows and violent behaviour outside his family home in Lozells.

His family has claimed that heavy-handed behaviour on the part of police prior to his death was racially motivated.

Ernest Walters, a family friend who was dating Mr Powell’s sister, said he saw the 38-year-old standing in front of a police car when it revved its engine and ran him over.

He said it caused Mr Powell to be flipped on to the car’s bonnet car before rolling off.

Mr Walters said he had arrived at the family’s home at about midnight on September 6, 2003, and had become suspicious when he saw Mr Powell walking away from the property which had a broken front window.

When he accosted him he saw that he had blood on his shirt and a belt with a large metal buckle wrapped around his hand.

Mr Walters said that when police arrived he saw Mr Powell break the car window before it sped off, but claimed it returned and, after a stand- off, with Mr Powell – ran him down. He said at the inquest at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall that Mr Powell was able to stand up and again approached the police car.

“I shouted at the police to come and hold him and restrain him, to put some handcuffs on him because he was not well, he said.

“But when they came closer I saw what they had in their hands I realised they hadn’t come to help him.”

Mr Powell was later hit with a baton and sprayed with CS gas before being taken to a cell. He was later found not breathing.

His sister, Judy Powell, who also gave evidence, reiterated the family’s stance that police action was racially motivated.

She claimed: “If it was a white person and they saw the blood they would have taken him straight to hospital.”